MS Windows XP Service Pack 3 Due Next Month
This is going to be Windows XP's final Service Pack release. Kudos to a Malaysian website, TechARP.com for this scoop! Malaysia boleh!
Why is this service pack important? Microsoft will end its mainstream support for XP on April 14, 2009. Then on April 8, 2014 it will stop supporting XP altogether. This means there won't be any more updates released to 'fix' or 'patch' this old but extremely popular operating system (OS).
Past the product End-Of-Life stage, you might even find it difficult to download and update a Windows XP re-installation in the future!
So what happens when you suddenly need and absolutely need to reformat your PC's hard drive and reinstall the OS? Why can't you just go out, get the latest spankiest operating system and install that instead? Because your aunt or grandfather whose PC you're trying to fix won't be able to afford the latest greatest hardware to run the latest bloatware! That's why!
And i don't just mean 'afford' in the monetary sense. I mean non-techy folks can't be bothered to relearn every command and functionality they're already familiar with in Windows XP. They just wanna get things done with their old but still serviceable personal computer.
So what should you do?
First, get yourself a good legal copy of Windows XP Pro while it's still being sold in stores.
Second, download Service Pack 3 plus any other additional latest drivers for your peripherals (eg. printers, scanners, cameras, external drives...etc.). Archive them into a high quality CD-R that's gonna last you at least 10 years. Verify that the disk you just burned reads fine too! I don't even trust DVD-Rs because older PCs might not come with DVD-ROM drives.
Now you're all set for PC housekeeping for the next 10 years at least. Hopefully the poor hardware will give up its ghost long before you need to re-install such 'legacy' software! HAH!
This is going to be Windows XP's final Service Pack release. Kudos to a Malaysian website, TechARP.com for this scoop! Malaysia boleh!
Why is this service pack important? Microsoft will end its mainstream support for XP on April 14, 2009. Then on April 8, 2014 it will stop supporting XP altogether. This means there won't be any more updates released to 'fix' or 'patch' this old but extremely popular operating system (OS).
Past the product End-Of-Life stage, you might even find it difficult to download and update a Windows XP re-installation in the future!
So what happens when you suddenly need and absolutely need to reformat your PC's hard drive and reinstall the OS? Why can't you just go out, get the latest spankiest operating system and install that instead? Because your aunt or grandfather whose PC you're trying to fix won't be able to afford the latest greatest hardware to run the latest bloatware! That's why!
And i don't just mean 'afford' in the monetary sense. I mean non-techy folks can't be bothered to relearn every command and functionality they're already familiar with in Windows XP. They just wanna get things done with their old but still serviceable personal computer.
So what should you do?
First, get yourself a good legal copy of Windows XP Pro while it's still being sold in stores.
Second, download Service Pack 3 plus any other additional latest drivers for your peripherals (eg. printers, scanners, cameras, external drives...etc.). Archive them into a high quality CD-R that's gonna last you at least 10 years. Verify that the disk you just burned reads fine too! I don't even trust DVD-Rs because older PCs might not come with DVD-ROM drives.
Now you're all set for PC housekeeping for the next 10 years at least. Hopefully the poor hardware will give up its ghost long before you need to re-install such 'legacy' software! HAH!
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